(re)Purpose:full

Each year, our (re)Purpose:full program has a little fun by sending surprises and green gifts to coworkers – gifts that help advocate green activity. Just say no to using products and materials that add to waste, and say yes to using items that reduce our carbon footprint on the world.

Impact

Americans use more than 380 billion polyethylene bags per year.

An estimated 12 million barrels of oil are used to make these single-use plastics.

Recycling stations often do not accept plastic bags (throw them out) because they jam the equipment used to operate their conveyer belts and machines (putting bags in the recycling bin does not mean they get recycled).

It takes 1,000 years for plastic bags to degrade … and they merely break down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways. They then enter the food chain as animals ingest them.

Plastic is the largest source of ocean litter. Ocean debris kills at least 1 million sea birds and 100,000 mammals each year.

The average American office worker goes through around 500 disposable cups over the course of 12 months.

Americans toss out enough paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times!